Centum Malediction

Chapter 2-5

Tuesday, September 21st. 2010

Chelsea didn't show up at school the next day. Damien asked Michael if he had done something to her. Michael wasn't amused, and pretended he didn't know what was going on. Damien reveled at the chance to have Michael all to himself. Michael didn't mind his presence, but his mind was elsewhere, going over the events of the night in his mind, and wondering if he could have done anything more to save Chelsea.

He had to figure out what kind of spell dealt with swarms of insects. He didn't have much experience in dealing with spells to draw from, which is what made it difficult. His first instinct was to go to a computer lab and research more on the hundredth warrior, the one who created and sealed the spells in the first place, but with Damien following his every footstep, doing any kind of research would be impossible.

When lunch came around, and Damien bum rushed the lunch line, Michael decided to approach Lom once again. He was sitting at his usual solitary table, eating his food peacefully, at least until Michael sat down.

"What's going on with the fires?" Michael asked, desperate to get his mind off Chelsea's condition.

"Funny you should ask. Wildfires have been burning like crazy out in the wilderness outside the city. At this rate, the entirety of Century Forest will be burnt down by the end of the week, perhaps sooner, as the fire seems to be growing exponentially.

"It's getting stronger," Michael whispered to himself. Lom gave him an odd look. Michael closed his eyes, thinking for a moment. There were two major threats to the city right now, the insect swarms and the fires. Chelsea was injured, but safe in the hospital. If the fire kept growing, she wouldn't be for much longer. If the seal was out of reach, or protected, then he would have to focus on the fire spell for now.

Michael visualized what Visceria had shown him: the hundredth warrior rampaging through her city, shooting fire from his hand like a flamethrower. He had seen firsthand the destruction the fire spell was capable of, and knew if it continued to get stronger it could bring the entire city down in seconds.

More importantly, an urge overwhelmed Michael. The fire was powerful. Powerful enough to destroy a swarm of insects with ease. If Michael could defeat the spell and gain its power, he could use it against the swarm and save Chelsea. He couldn't do it alone; transportation to the fire itself would be near impossible, as no bus or cab would willingly take a student into a blazing inferno.

"Have the firemen been able to contain it?" Michael asked.

"That's the thing. Every time we think we have the fire contained so it can no longer spread, another pops up in a different, as of yet untouched, part of the forest. This is the work of one persistent arsonist," Lom said. "To make matters worse, the fire makes it far too dangerous to have the cops patrol the forest in search for the guy." Lom paused for a moment before continuing. "Tell me, why are you so interested in this forest fire anyway?"

"I think I know what's causing it," Michael explained. "Can you get me to the forest?"

"Are you crazy?" Lom asked surprised. "They've been fighting this fire for almost twenty hours straight, and you want to go in there?"

"I can stop it." Michael looked at Lom with a determined gaze. Lom looked back.

"You're a moron. Did you know the main reason people die to fires, aside from faulty smoke alarms, is overconfidence? People think they can play the hero, and they end up losing their lives because of it." Lom stood up from the table, clearly offended. "I know you have some notion of superiority because of your basketball star life here in this High School, but outside these walls is the real world, a world you won't succeed in with that kind of attitude."